Vehicle lifting and traversing device



April 23, 1963 B. WALKER 3,086,605

VEHICLE LIF'TING AND TRAVERSING DEVICE Original Filed March l5, 1954 4Sheets-Sheet l IN VENTOR.

I'. 9-2- l @pw/m April 23, 1963 B. WALKER VEHICLE LIFTING AND TRAVERSINGDEVICE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed March 15, 1954 www B. WALKERVEHICLE LIFTING AND TRAVERSING DEVICE April 23, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 3Original Filed March l5, 1954 IN VEN TOR.

April 23, 1963 Original Filed March l5, 1954 B. WALKER VEHICLE LIETINGAND TRAvERsING DEVICE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR.

United States Patent() 3,086,605 VEHICLE LWTING AND TRAVERSING DEVICEBrooks Walker, 155 Montgomery St., San Francisco 4, Calif. Continuationof abandoned application Ser. No. 416,156, Mar. 15, 1954. Thisapplication Feb. 17, 1959, Ser. No.

This invention per-tains to vehicle lifting and traversing devices ofthe general type covered by my issued U.S` Patent No. 2,136,570, whereinthe transversely mounted spare wheel or other suitable transverselymounted groundengageable element is lowered by engine power and raisesthe wheels at one end of the vehicle. A drive from one of the rearwheels or the drive mechanism to the rear wheels rotates the thenground-engaging wheel to swing the elevated end of the vehicle to theright, or to the left by normal forward and reverse vehicle transmissioncontrol, and the swing or rotation of the vehicle about a pivot at theworward end of the vehicle is checked or stopped by the use of theregular wheel or drive-shaft brake. The rear wheels are elevated fromthe roadway, and one of them which is not held by the brake rotates indriving connection with the spare wheel as the car is being movedsideways.

This application is a continuation of application Serial No. 416,156,filed March 15, 1954, and since abandoned.

One important improvement in this invention over the prior art arises ina novel way of driving the spare wheel from one of the rear wheels whilesetting the service brake on the other rear wheel, or otherwiseautomatically stopping one rear wheel and having enough gear reductionin the drive to the spare wheel so that the rear of the car will swingto the righ-t or to the left much slower than it would go forward orbackward in the same gears and same engine speed. This allows morecontrol in swinging and requires less friction on the drive from onerear tire than if a drive such as shown in my U.S. lPatent No. 1,990,150were used.

Another object of the invention is to provide a drive from theground-contacting surface of one of the rear tires to drive the sparewheel, for the rubber of the tiretread is better suited for driving apower-takeoff roller than is the rubber on the side of the tire, whichwas used heretofore. If the drive is taken at a surface lying on theldiameter of a roller and taken from the ground-contacting `surfaces ofthe elevated rear tire with an axis of rotation of the roller parallelto the rear wheel axle, there will be less slippage and abrasion of therubber on the roller and rear tire than where the axis of rotation ofthe roller lies at a substantial angle to the axle of rotation of thevehicle wheel against which it bears for driving contact.

Another object is to provide a crutch that can readily plug into themechanism that supports the spare tire, so that the crutch contacts theground and lifts the spare tire olf the ground. This can be used forchanging a tire and will act as a jack without requiring the use of thewheel bolts, as were required in my U.S. Patent No. 1,990,150, see FIGS.5 and 5a.

A further object of the invention is to provide hydraulic means forstopping or setting the brake on the rear wheel not doing the driving,so that oeprator-controlled driving control will be provided .from thevehicle-lifting hydraulic system as soon as there is hydraulic pressureexerted to lift one end of the vehicle on the spare wheel; otherwise,the rear of the car might startrolling sideways on a side slope, lif thedrive to the rear wheel or drive shaft were not connected firmly to thespare wheel until the rear of the car was almost fullylifted on thespare wheel.

Another object is to provide axle hooks near the center of the axle forlifting the rear axle, to prevent the hooks from missing the axle whenthe vehicle is on a warped roadway. This control axle hooking stillprovides a stable, axle-to-frame relation when lifted, in order to l geta positive drive from the elevated rear wheel to the spare wheel drivingwheel.

Another feature of the invention is to provide a drive from a secondarygear on the rotating differential cluster housing, with a diameter muchsmaller than the ring gear. A power takeoff can be easily installed orprovided and thus furnish a drive from this takeoff wherein the driveshaft to the spare wheel will rotate at about the speed of rotation ofthe differential ring gear. This drive shaft to the spare wheel could beconnected directly to the spare wheel axle or to a gear reduction toAnother object of the invention is to provide a way in which after theground-contacting element is lowered to ground contact, the vehicle rearwheels are moved closer to the vehicle body to create a clearancebetween 'the rear vehicle wheels and lthe roadway. In this invention thevehicle body is not moved up as much as the vehicle wheels are moved upwhen 'getting the rear wheels off the ground.

Another object is to prove the drive from the rear tire tread lto thespare wheel either by bevel gears and shafts, or by belts turningcorners to eliminate bevel gears. The belts have idlers moving with thedriven wheel, which moves toward and away from the vehicle rear wheelfor engagement or disengagement with the -rear wheel. The idlers therebykeep the belts in substantial adjustment during said fore and aft motionof the small driven wheel.

Another object is to provide manual means for render- `ing the actuationof the rear-tire-contacting wheel inoperative during the liftingoperation, so that the rear tire can be removed easily when raised onthe spare-tire-supporting mechanism for tire change, mounting chains,repair work, etc.

Another object is to provide means for rendering inactive the setting ofthe brake or mechanism for stopping that rear ltire which is not drivingthe spare tire, t-o enable rotation of said rear wheel when elevated, tofacilitate tire change, installation of tire chains, etc.

Another, and one of the main, objects is to provide a design that can beattached to automobiles of current design with substantially no body orchassis changes except those common to continental mounts, and toutilize power steering Huid pressure to -actuate the raising andlowering of the lifting and traversing device.

Another feature is to provide -a movable mount for a spare tire mountedpartially on bumper-extensions for the vehicle.

Another `feature is to provide a support for -a spare wheel pivoted toone rear bumper-extension, and an .operating cylinder pivoted to theother rear bumperextension, for easy installation.

Other features of the invention will be more particu llarly pointed outin the laccompanying specifications and claims.

I have illustrated my invention by way of example in i FIG. 4 is a topplan view on areduced scale of aV the spare wheel hub.v

portion of the rear of -a vehicle partly cut away and showing anotherform of the invention.

FIG. is a View in side elevation and in section of a portion of the rearof a vehicle, showing the form of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1,2, and 3, 'the section being taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a view in rear eleva-tion and in section on a reduced scale,taken from slightly behind the rear axle and showing another form of theinvention, with the spare wheel raised.

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6 with the mechanism in the rear wheelelevated position.

FIG. 8 is a plan view, partly cut away, of a rear corner of a vehicleshowing another form of the invention.

FIG. 9 is a plan view, largely cut away, showing another form of theinvention.

FIG. l0 is a cut away view in section taken along the line 10-10 in FIG.5, showing a portion of the vehicle.

FIG. 11 is a view in side elevation and in section of the rear portionof the vehicle taken along the line 11-11 of FIG. 3.

FIG. l2 isa schematic showing of a conventional fourwheeled enginedriven vehicle with a hydraulic pump and ducts leading therefrom to thehydraulic devices used for controlling the spare wheel and the rearwheel holding means.

In all 'gures like numerals of reference refer to corresponding parts.

In FIGS. l, 2, 3, and 5, I have shown a vehicle frame 10, rear axle 8,springs 7, rear wheels 5, and spare wheel 4. The spare wheel 4 ismovably mounted on a frame 30 which is pivoted in bearings 51 and 52that are secured to a bumper extension 50 attached to the side member ofthe frame 10. The fra-me 30 is braced by a diagonal member 30h and theframe 30 together with the spare wheel 4 constitute the lifting andtraversing device for the vehicle.

A hydraulic cylinder 20, which is actuated by enginedriven hydraulicpower, as shown in my cited U.S. Patents 1,990,150 and 2,136,570 andapplication Serial No. 343,- 110, now abandoned, is employed to raisethe car on the spare wheel 4 by means of fluid entering line 21, whilelluid pressure on a yline 22 is used to retract the spare wheel 4 to theinactive position shown in FIG. 1. The end of the piston rod 20aassociated with the hydraulic cylinder 20 is connected to rthe frame 30near the 'lower en'd of a brace 30a. The other end of the cylinder 20 ispivoted at 20h to a bumper extension 12.

All the mechanism for mounting the spare wheel frame 30 and the drivefor the spiare wheel 4 is mounted on the other bumper extension 50 tofacilitate installation and reduce costs. A small wheel 40 is rotatablymounted on ian axle 41 to which is secured a V-pulley 40a. The V- pulleydrives a. V-belt 9 entrained over idler pulleys 49` supported on' anA-frame 46. The A-frame 46 is pivoted to the spare Wheel frame 30 bypivot pins 46h. One end of a rod 46a is pivoted around 'the axle 41, andthe other end is pivoted to the A-frame 46. Idlers 49 are set at an agleto each other to align the belt 9 leading from said idlers to a largerdrive pulley 6 attached to a small gear 6a, which is rotatably supportedon Ithe frame 30 by a shaft 6b mounted on the frame 30. The gear 6ameshes with `a gear 4a, which is secured to an extension of the sparehub 4b; so the spare wheel 4 can be removed in the usual manner for tirechange.

The axle 41 is hung from two bars 42 and 43, which are pivoted above theaxle 41 in a bearing 44 mounted on a rigid bracket 53 of the bumperextension 50. The bar 42 has an extension 42a which makes a bell crankwith the bar 42 about a pivot shaft 44a, and this extension 42a isconnected to a crank 61 by a link 62 (see FIGS. 1 and 2). The link 62 isconnected to a torsion bar 60. The extension 42a rotates about the shaft44a in the housing 44, while the crank 61 rotates with the torsion bar60 at right angles to the shaft 44a. The

torsion `bar 60 has a rear crank arm 60a. The arm 60a is normallyengaged to the under side of a lug 63 a-ttached to the spare wheelmounting frame 30; so the torsion bar 60 rotates with the frame 30 torotate the crank 61. The crank 61 pulls down on the link 62 and bellcrank 42a to move the axle 41 to where the wheel 40 is into contact withthe rear tire tread as the spare wheel 4 is lowered and, after contact,increases the pressure to a satisfactory yielding driving pressurebetween the wheel 4) and the rear tire 5, due to tbe spring action inthe torsion bar 60.

The rear axle 8 is engaged during the lowering of the spare :tire by theaction of a bell crank 72, which is pivoted to a frame cross member 10bat a pivot point 72a. The bell Icrank 72 engages the frame 30h when theframe tlb is in `the raised position shown' in FIGS. l and 5, to holdhooks 75 retracted. This construction allows a link 7) to move forwardas soon :as the spare wheel 4 and frame Silb move down, so that hooks75a engage lugs 8a on the axle 8. A spring 76 urges the double hook arms75 forward so that the hooks 75a can engage the lugs 8a on the rear axleS to lift the axle 8 with the body.

A spring compresses between link elements 70 and 7 (la to prevent damageto the link 70, the bell crank 72, and their associated pivots,brackets, lugs and other parts in case the axle 3 is hanging on the arms75 when the wheel 4 is raised and pulls link 70 back. The power of thecylinder 20 and the weight of the axle 8 and the pressure of thesuspension means between the axle 8 and the frame 10 are too great fordisengagement of the hooks '75a in certain rare instances, such as whenthe rear of the vehicle is raised on a frame jack after the vehicle hasbeen previously raised on the spare wheel, and then the spare wheel 4has later been raised or retracted to its FIG. l position. Thus thespring 71 is necessary when after the spare tire 4 is in the positionshown in FIG. 2 and the car is lifted on a hoist or jack and the sparewheel is then retracted to its FIG. 1 position, because under thosecircumstances the hooks 75a cannot be retracted, and the link 70 andbell crank 72 might be bent.

The rear wheel 5 at the right as viewed in FIG. 3 is stopped fromrotation as the vehicle is lifted on the spare wheel 4 by a cylinder 84(FIG. 3) pulling on a brake cable 81 through its piston rod 83 and alink 82a to a clamp 82. Fluid in a line 86, which causes the piston rod83 to retract, is connected to lluid in the line 21 that controls thelift of the car; so the brake on the rear wheel 5 at the right of FIG. 3is set as soon as the car starts to lift. A line 87 is connected to line22 and carries fluid which extends the piston rod 83 so that the cable82a will be slack and will not interfere with the brake when the sparewheel 4 is retracted. In case it is desired to remove or work on thisrear wheel 5 when it is elevated on the spare mechanism 30, a link 84ais pivoted to the cylinder 84 and actuated by a rod 84b so that a lug onthe link 84a engages a shackle 82b on the rod 83 to intercept the end ofpiston rod 83 before lifting on the spare wheel 4, to allow freerotation of this wheel 5.

When this is done, the spare wheel 4 should be blocked as no drive orbrake cont-rol will exist without the braking of this wheel. The vehicleis lifted on a crutch 30), which is plugged into an arm 30d and retainedand located by a pin 301' which, in turn, is fastened to the crutch 30]by a chain 30h. A hinged base 30g may be necessary for ground contact.The crutch 30]c is only used when it is desired to remove the spare tire4 or to rotate it without swinging the car. A hold up hook 15 isnormally caused by a spring 16 to engage a roller 30m on the frame 30,but the spring 16 is readily overcome by the cylinder 20 and the frame30 is then pushed beyond the hook 15 for lowering under pressure.

fIn FIG. 4 I have shown another method of moving the small wheel 40 intocontact with the rear wheel 5. A hydraulic cylinder 90 has its pistonrod 95 attached near the axle 41, and the other end of the cylinder 90is pivoted to a bracket 50a of the bumper-extension 50. A lineA 91 isconnected to the line 21; so lifting pressure willy move the wheel 40into contact with the Wheel 5 by pivoting on arms 45 and 45a about thebearing housing 44 on the bracket 53 of the bumper-extension 50 duringthe lifting operation. The wheel 40 is retracted when the spare wheel 4is retracted, as a line 92 is connected to the line 22; so fluidpressure acting in the lines 92 and 22 rctracts the spare Wheel 4 andthe wheel 40. The other rear wheel 5 -is locked by a brake shoe 98through action of the cylinder 95 (both mounted on the bumper-extension12), by the line 91 being connected to the line 21. A lock link 96 isactuated by a hand control 97 to prevent the shoe 98 from engaging thewheel 5 when its tire is to be chan-ged, etc.

In FIGS. 6 and 7 I have shown a hydraulic cylinder 121 pivoted at itstop to the cross member 10a of the frame 10.

A spring 127 urges the cylinder 121 toward a boss 128 at the center ofthe rear axle 8; so a hook 124 on the end .of a piston rod 123 willengage the boss 128 when the spare wheel 4 starts down. A cable 125 goesaround a pulley 126 and goes to the bell crank 72, Wh-ich slacks thecable 125 when the spare wheel 4 starts down and tightens the cable 125as the spare wheel 4 reaches its inactive position. A line 122 isconnected to the line 21; so lifting pressure will lift the rear axle 8after the spare Wheel 4 contacts the ground. Therefore, the rear of thevehicle will not have to be raised as much with this construction to geta given ground-to-rear-tire clearance.

The piston in the cylinder 121 may be pushed down either by a spring121a or by hydraulic pressure in a line 129, which is connected to theline 22. Hydraulic pressure in the line 122 will retract the hook 124.This last hydraulic connection of a two-Way hydraulic cylinder does nottake as much oil as the single hydraulic acting piston would take fromthe power steering reservoir, if the power steering pump is used forraising and lowering the spare wheel 4. FIG. 6 shows the cylinder 121 inthe inactive position, and FIG. 7 shows the cylinder 121 lifting theaxle 8 for rear wheel road clearance when the rear of the vehicle issupported on the spare wheel 4. The action of the springs between therear axle 8 and the frame 10 is transmitted hydraulically to the supportof the car on the spare wheel 4 by this construction.

In FIG. 8 I have shown an alternate drive for the spare wheel 4, whereinthe wheel 40 and axle 41 drive an axle 138 through a universal 138a, abevel gear 133, and a bevel gear 132 in a box 134. The gear 132 drivesshaft 131, a universal 131a, a gear 130, a larger gear 136, a small gear137, and the spare wheel ring gear 4o. The cylinder 90 swings the wheel40 into or out of contact with the rear tire 5 as the spare wheel 4 islowered or raised respectively, in a manner similar to that shown inFIG. 4 except that some of the bearings that support the Wheel 40 mustbe universal to allow some swing of the axle 41 during action of thecylinder 90. The gear box 134 is supported for swinging motion on a link135 attached at one end to a gear box 134 and at the other to the crossmember 10a. This eliminates the cost of a spline on the shaft 131.'Iliis drive eliminates the belts shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, and may bemore positive.

In FIG. 9 I have shown another drive in which a bevel gear 102 ismounted on the spline end of a rotating differential gear housing 100outside its right hand bearing. A cover 104 provides a power take-offand mounts a bevel gear 105. A cylinder 140 actuates the bevel .gear'105 into engagement when lifting pressure in the line 21 acts on a line141 to shift the gear 105 into mesh with the gear 102 or engages a jawclutch between the gear 105 and universal 106. A spline 107 drives ashaft 108, a universal 109, and the spare wheel 4 through an axle 1'12which is bearinged at 11-1 to the movable spare-tire-support frame 30.This construction would require a tunnel in the luggage compartment forthe shaft 108 in the spare 6 Wheel '4 raised position. The shaft 108could be connected to a small gear (similar to the gear 137 of FIG. 8)at the bottom of the ri g gear 4a to stay under the luggage floor. Thisprovides a very simple positive spare tire drive from a power takeoff asfar back on the vehicle as practical with a resulting short low speeddrive shaft 108. Possibly the shaft 108 turns at spare wheel rotatingspeed like a rear axle to provide equal speed in swinging the rear ofthe car to the right or left as when moving forward or backward in thesame transmission shifts with the same engine speed.

Other features of the invention will be more particularly pointed outfin the accompanying claims.

To those skilled in the art to which this invention relates, manychanges in construction and widely differing embodiments andapplications of the invention will suggest themselves without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the invention. The disclosures and thedescription herein are purely illustrative and are not intended to be inany sense limiting.

I claim:

l. In an automotive vehicle having a frame supported on front and rearwheels, a lifting and traversing device incorporating a spare wheeladjacent to and rearward of said rear Wheels, an engine on said frame,propelling means for the vehicle including a differential and said rearwheels and connectable to the engine for propelling the vehicle, anengine-driven hydraulic pump, hydraulic means operated by said pump forlowering said lifting and traversing device relative to said frame toplace said spare wheel in contact with the roadway so as to lift therear end of said vehicle on said spare wheel, and for raising said sparewheel relative to said frame so as to lower said vehicle and lift saidspare wheel out of contact with said roadway, means on the vehicleestablishing an operative connection of said spare wheel with thepropelling means before said vehicle is lifted on said spare wheel andfor driving said spare wheel after it is in contact with said roadway,the improvement comprising separate hydraulic means operated by saidpump simultaneously with the rst mentioned hydraulic means for holdingat least one rearl wheel against movement when said spare wheel is infirm contact with said roadway and before said vehicle is lifted, saidmeans for holding being provided with manual release means so that therear wheel may turn when it is being changed and replaced with saidspare wheel without disassembly of said holding means.

2. In an automotive vehicle as defined by claim l in which the means forestablishing an operative connection of the spare wheel with thepropelling means comprises a driving connection between said spare wheeland said differential.

3. In an automotive vehicle as dened by claim 1 in which said rear wheelholding means includes friction means placed directly in contact withthe normally ground-engaging surface of said rear wheel.

4. In an automotive vehicle as defined by claim 3 in which said frictionmeans comprises a member pivotally mounted with respect to said frame,and a hydraulic cylinder supported on said frame and having a piston rodadapted to swing said member toward said rear wheel.

5. In an automotive vehicle 4as dened by claim l in which the means forestablishing an operative connection of the spare wheel with saidpropelling means comprises a roller to the Irear of said rear wheels,means for engaging said roller with the normally ground-contactingsurface of the other rear wheel, when the latter is lifted labove theroadway, and transmission means between said roller and said sparewheel.

6. In an automotive vehicle as defined by claim 5 in which saidtransmission means comprises bevel gears.

7. In an automotive vehicle as defined by claim 5 in which saidtransmission means comprises a V-belt with pulleys traveling in twoplanes at substantial right angles to each other, and gear-reductionmeans.

8. In an automotive vehicle as deiined by claim 5 in which thetransmission means includes a liexible belt, a first pulley rotating inthe same plane with one of said rear wheels and driving said belt, and asecond pulley at right angles to said flrst pulley driven by said beltin a plane parallel with the spare wheel.

9. In an automotive vehicle as defined by claim l in which thedifferential comprises a ring gear for driving saidrear wheels; arotating mounting for said rear gear; and the means for establishing anoperative connection of the vspare wheel with the propelling meansincludes a driving connection between said ring gear and a smaller gearmounted on said rotating mounting and a third gear engaging said smallergear and mounted on a shaft extending rearwardly from the axis of saidrear wheels and connected to said spare tire.

10. In an automotive vehicle as defined by claim 9 in which said shaftturns at a ratio of not over two to one relative to said ring gear.

1l. In an automotive vehicle as deined in claim 1 in which the means forestablishing an operative connection of the spare Wheel with saidpropelling means comprises a roller to the rear of said other rear wheelengaging the normally ground-contacting surface of that said rear wheel.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS674,666 Blevney May 21, 1901 1,387,626 Swanson Aug. 16, 1921 1,888,149Truran Nov. 15, 1932 1,990,150 Walker Feb. 5, 1935 2,455,133 Moiat Nov.30, 1948 2,692,143 Rando Oct. 19, 1954 2,808,271 Devenne Oct. 1, 1957OTHER REFERENCES Pamphlet: The Fifth Wheel, received April 20,

1. IN AN AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLE HAVING A FRAME SUPPORTED ON FRONT AND REARWHEELS, A LIFTING AND TRAVERSING DEVICE INCORPORATING A SPARE WHEELADJACENT TO AND REARWARD OF SAID REAR WHEELS, AN ENGINE ON SAID FRAME,PROPELLING MEANS FOR THE VEHICLE INCLUDING A DIFFERENTIAL AND SAID REARWHEELS AND CONNECTABLE TO THE ENGINE FOR PROPELLING THE VEHICLE, ANENGINE-DRIVEN HYDRAULIC PUMP, HYDRAULIC MEANS OPERATED BY SAID PUMP FORLOWERING SAID LIFTING AND TRAVERSING DEVICE RELATIVE TO SAID FRAME TOPLACE SAID SPARE WHEEL IN CONTACT WITH THE ROADWAY SO AS TO LIFT THEREAR END OF SAID VEHICLE ON SAID SPARE WHEEL, AND FOR RAISING SAID SPAREWHEEL RELATIVE TO SAID FRAME SO AS TO LOWER SAID VEHICLE AND LIFT SAIDSPARE WHEEL OUT OF CONTACT WITH SAID ROADWAY, MEANS ON THE VEHICLEESTABLISHING AN OPERATIVE CONNECTION OF SAID SPARE WHEEL WITH THEPROPELLING MEANS BEFORE SAID VEHICLE IS LIFTED ON SAID SPARE WHEEL ANDFOR DRIVING SAID SPARE WHEEL AFTER IT IS IN CONTACT WITH SAID ROADWAY,THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING SEPARATE HYDRAULIC MEANS OPERATED BY SAIDPUMP SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH THE FIRST MENTIONED HYDRAULIC MEANS FOR HOLDINGAT LEAST ONE REAR WHEEL AGAINST MOVEMENT WHEN SAID SPARE WHEEL IS INFIRM CONTACT WITH SAID ROADWAY AND BEFORE SAID VEHICLE IS LIFTED, SAIDMEANS FOR HOLDING BEING PROVIDED WITH MANUAL RELEASE MEANS SO THAT THEREAR WHEEL MAY TURN WHEN IT IS BEING CHANGED AND REPLACED WITH SAIDSPARE WHEEL WITHOUT DISASSEMBLY OF SAID HOLDING MEANS.